


We All Need Someone to Stay

by dunbar



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-12 07:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11732256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dunbar/pseuds/dunbar
Summary: ❝ hear you, falling and lonely, cry out:will you fix me up? will you show me hope?at the end of the day you were helplesscan you keep me close? can you love me most? ❞Theo needed somewhere to stay other than the sheriff's station after the ghost riders were dealt with, and no one was willing to take that risk except for Liam.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> lyrics are from someone to stay by vsc! this is my first multi-chapter fic, i kind of have an idea of where it's going but we'll see.  
> everything up to episode 6x10 is the same, stuff diverges away from canon after that though. a lot of stuff is similar / based on the trailers and past eps but probably not identical  
> 

Theo needed somewhere to stay, and no one was willing to take that risk—no one except for Liam.

“Well we can’t just leave him to fend for himself!” Liam’s voice was aggressive, probably more forceful than anyone had seen him for a long while.

“Liam, we can’t take that chance. I don’t trust him, none of us trust him. No way my mom will let him in our house either after what he pulled.” Scott was tired of arguing with his beta over what to do with Theo. This was maybe the 3rd or 4th argument since he’d decided to bring him back from hell, and it was exhausting because Liam pretty much always got his way. And he was usually right too, and things were okay. But it was still hard to trust or like someone who tried to kill him. “He needs to be somewhere we can either keep track of him or know that he can’t hurt anyone. Fixing the sword and putting him back in the ground is still the easiest option.”

“Just because it’s the easiest doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do and you know it,” Liam pleaded. “ _I_ trust him. He can stay with me, I can talk to my step dad about it and I know it’ll be fine. Please.”

Scott let out a small sigh. “Okay. But if anything happens, and I mean anything, you tell me.” He watched as Liam stared into the other room where Theo was leaning against the wall looking at his hands. Chances are he was listening to their every word, because why wouldn’t he be, but it didn’t really matter. Scott put his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder and softened his voice, “Please don’t let me regret letting him stick around. I know you see more in him than the rest of us do, and I’m still not quite sure why, but I just need you and everyone else to be safe.”

Liam gave him a small smile and nodded. He hadn’t told Scott about the hospital. In fact he hadn’t really told anyone in detail except Mason. He would’ve said something if it meant the others would trust Theo a bit more, but they wouldn’t so he didn’t bother. Theo had fought alongside Scott anyway, which was enough for him to not be immediately shunned, but no one warmed up to him besides Liam.

Theo looked up quickly as Liam made his way over to him, as if being snapped out of his own thoughts.

“You can stay with me if you want,” Liam almost whispered it. He wasn’t quite sure why, he just felt kind of nervous inviting Theo to live with him. “At my house. I know you don’t have a place to stay and my parents will understand. I’m sorry, I wish there were other options for you.”

Theo stared at him for a short while. Liam wished he wasn’t so unreadable sometimes. Theo looked at him differently than he looked at everyone else—there was a certain softness in his gaze pretty much every time Liam caught his eye. But even then, his thoughts and feelings were hidden, or mostly hidden anyway.

“That’s it, no catch?”

“No catch. Except that Scott doesn’t want you leaving Beacon Hills right now.” He winced when Theo scowled a little at that. “It’s not that far from here, we can walk there in about 15 minutes.” 

Theo just nodded and followed the other boy out towards the front door of Scott’s place. If this were anyone else, he’d be a whole lot more upset about the situation because he hated feeling like he was being shown pity, or that he owed anyone anything. But he trusted Liam, which was a really strange thing for him to admit. On top of that, Liam saved him from hell and he’d saved him in plenty of ways since then, including keeping him from being sent back to hell right now yet again. There’s no one in the world he’d rather stay with, whether he had a choice or not.

~

Liam unlocked his door and dramatically motioned for Theo to enter, who just rolled his eyes and smiled. “You _sure_ your parents are okay with this?”

“My dad will be home in an hour, but he won’t mind. Mason sleeps over all the time anyway, it’s really not a big deal.” Liam shrugged and led him upstairs. “Here, this is my room, sorry about the mess.” 

Liam was anxious, but Theo seemed even more nervous, which was clear from both the chemosignals and his unusual quietness.

“Okay so… Bathroom’s across the hall, you can eat with us obviously and if you ever get hungry there’s plenty of stuff in the fridge or you can just ask me, and the two drawers over there are empty so you can use them freely. You can sleep in the bed, I have no problem sleeping on the couch. I guess that’s it.”

“This is your house, you get the bed.”

“We can alternate?”

“ _Liam._ ”

“Alright, fine, but if you change your mind just let me know. Anyways we can go shopping tomorrow and get you any stuff you need.” Theo had a small bag of clothes, probably a few outfits at the most, but he really didn’t have much else. 

“I’m fine, honestly.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “We have free time and I have enough money, please let me buy you at least some basic shit.” 

Theo opened his mouth to protest again, before Liam cut him off again. “Consider it repayment for you saving my ass so many times?”

Theo shook his head with a smile. It’s not like he was the one to go against the rest of his pack to raise his sorry ass out of hell, but there was no arguing with Liam. If he decided something was the right thing to do, he would do it no matter how much anyone complained.

“Look, I appreciate all of this a lot, really, but you don’t… owe me anything. You don’t have to do anything or give me anything because you feel bad.” Theo couldn’t help but feel like he was imposing more than he already should be just by taking up space in Liam’s house.

Liam furrowed his brow, which actually surprised Theo a little bit because, even when he was trying, Liam rarely acted entirely serious. That was a trait they shared, albeit they expressed it differently.

“Theo, I want you here. I’m happy to have you here, I’m serious. I’m not doing this out of pity, or because I think I owe you something. I’m doing it because you’re my friend and I’m not letting you live in the fucking woods or cooped up in a jail cell. Please just let me do this for you. You can borrow an extra pair of clothes to sleep in from me and we can go shopping tomorrow, throw your clothes in the wash and make yourself at home. You’re free to use the shower while I go set the table if you want.”

Liam had a tendency to render Theo completely and utterly speechless, something he both adored and found incredibly frustrating. “Thank you,” were the only words he could manage to get out.

Liam smiled at him. “Hey, that’s what friends are for,” he said with a grin as he strode out the door and downstairs.

The first time he’d called Theo his friend, the latter assumed it was a slip-up, but the genuineness of the way Liam spoke to him was unmistakable. In truth, he wasn’t even sure what he’d thought they were before Liam had said it. Just indebted to each other, he’d guessed.

~

After showering, Theo threw on the hoodie and sweatpants he’d been given. He felt odd in Liam’s clothes. They were pretty much the same size as his own, but it was more a matter of them being Liam’s. Still, he’d worn the same few outfits for the last two weeks and they needed a wash almost as badly as he had. He walked down the stairs slowly, feeling very out of place still. He’d never met Liam’s family and had no idea if they’d be welcoming or not, and he actually felt sort of nervous.

As soon as Liam walked over the anxiety melted away and he felt comfortable again, or as comfortable as he could in someone else’s house.

“Be honest… how ridiculous do I look?” Theo asked, watching as Liam looked over his new outfit.

“Oh, you look fine!” Liam exclaimed with a small laugh. “Just different.” He lightly grabbed a piece of Theo’s sleeve and pulled him towards the kitchen. “I told my dad you had just moved back to Beacon Hills after a few years and that you had nowhere else to stay. He’s cool with it, just like I said.” 

Hearing that on its own was a relief and Theo relaxed immensely. 

~

Theo was quiet during dinner, only answering occasional questions from Liam’s family and smiling during Liam and his dad’s bantering. The whole experience was new to him in a lot of ways, but he really didn’t mind it. 

After dinner, Liam put on a movie. It wasn’t that late, but they only managed to get halfway through before Liam started falling asleep.

“Sorry, I barely ever make it through movies,” Liam said with a yawn. “Anyway, we’re still going shopping tomorrow so we might as well sleep.”

Theo laughed and shook his head. He didn’t feel comfortable around anyone the way he did with Liam; like he could let his guard down for once and know he’d be fine. Plus, the two of them got along really well. 

Liam tossed him a pillow from his bed and motioned towards the blanket already on the couch. “Wake me if you need anything,” Liam added as he went to lay down. He was so willing to give so much for Theo—his room, his clothes, his money, his time and energy—and Theo appreciated it more than he could say. He wasn’t used to being treated with so much kindness by anyone, and yet since saving him from hell kindness was pretty much all Liam had given him. It was weird, maybe, but still appreciated. 

There was something else too. Liam wasn’t perfect; he got upset a lot, he was incredibly impulsive, and he never knew when to back down. But when it came down to it, he always tried to do the right thing. He was always trying to help at least one person. Theo admired that more than anything. It made Liam someone special, among his other traits, and it was why Theo was so willing to give his own life if it meant keeping the other boy safe. It was why Theo really did care for him.

~

The next few days went by fast. Liam took Theo pretty much anywhere he went—or maybe Theo went everywhere with Liam, no one could really tell anymore. The only place Theo hadn’t gone was to lacrosse practice. Not that Liam didn’t offer or that he didn’t want to, he just felt bad intruding on something that Liam did with his real friends. Especially since Malia went to watch sometimes too, and he’d have nowhere to sit that wasn’t way too close to her.

Still, after some convincing he’d promised Liam he’d go to at least one game. Mason came to pick them up in his car, and Theo was pretty sure he’d heard Liam ask Mason to sit with him during the game. On one hand, it would be nice to not sit alone, but then again, he still felt out of place with Liam’s friends. 

Mason was nice to Theo, which he found kind of weird and misplaced, but he wasn’t about to complain. It was some combination of him knowing his best friend trusted Theo, and just him being objectively a _really_ good person. He was a bit nervous too, but no one could blame him, and he did a good job of acting collected anyway.

“It’s another Devenford game. Should we be warning Theo of any possible fistfights you have planned now or…?” Mason joked as he drove the car towards the school. Liam laughed too, and that was enough to make Theo smile even though truthfully he had no clue what Mason had just said.

“I think I’m good today, but you never know. If Brett brings up that time he saved my ass a few months ago one more time I might just have to start something.”

Theo gave up on trying to figure out context for anything, but he still liked listening to the two of them joke around with each other. 

~

As they walked across the field, Corey ran over and hugged Mason so fast that they’d have fallen over if Liam hadn’t helped keep them standing. Theo always felt a little bad when he ran into Corey, for a lot of things, but Corey was still one of the only people who would even step near him. 

He gave Theo a small hello nod too which was honestly more than he expected.

Theo scanned the bleachers and saw Malia sitting with Stiles’ dad and Lydia. Lydia gave him a small smile when he looked over—more undeserved kindness—but the other two hadn’t seemed to notice him yet thankfully.

“Don’t worry about Malia, I usually sit with Sydney and Hayden anyway. Come on,” Mason said with an unwavering kindness that never failed to surprise Theo, who nodded and followed suit. “Since this is your first game you’re watching you have the honour of holding our ‘Go Liam’ sign. It’s kind of falling apart but it works.”

The game was probably the most fun Theo had since he got back from hell. Mason did his best to make Theo feel comfortable, and Liam scored a hattrick which gave him plenty of opportunities to hold up the cardboard sign. It all felt kind of silly, but Hayden had her own sign for Gwen, and Mason was louder than anyone else in the stands when he cheered for Corey or Liam, so it was fun anyway. 

Afterwards, Liam walked over with Brett who he introduced to Theo.

“Aren’t you not supposed to be fraternizing with the other team or something?” Hayden teased, to which Liam stuck his tongue out at her like a child, making everyone laugh.

“Catch you later, Lilo,” Brett said with a wink before turning to leave.

“I told you not to call me that!” Liam shouted, poking Brett’s back with the end of his lacrosse stick before giggling. He directed his attention to Theo as they all stood up to leave. “That wasn’t so bad was it?” 

“It was alright. I mean you only scored three times. Make it 4 next time and then we’ll talk.” 

“So there’ll be a next time then!”

Theo rolled his eyes at Liam’s overenthusiasm and smiled. 

~

Liam almost instantly threw himself back on the bed when they got home.

“My friends like you, you know? Especially Mason, and not just because he’s got a heart of gold. You should come to more games and practices... If you want.”

“Maybe,” Theo replied. Liam was right, his friends were good to him, better than the older pack members. Before he could convince himself not to, he asked, “Are you and Hayden still... a thing?” It sounded even more like such a stupid question out loud, he was surprised it came out of his mouth for a moment.

Luckily, Liam just laughed. “Nah, we haven’t been for a little while now. We just decided it wasn’t working out. I think she’s dating Gwen now too. I’m happy for her.”

Theo tried not to look too surprised, but he’d really expected the two of them to last, though that was probably just him being pessimistic. 

The two of them killed time; they both showered and played some video games and went to bed fairly early again, which was still really new to Theo. A lot of things were new to him while he lived with Liam. For one, he could barely distinguish his own scent from Liam's now that they'd spent so much time together. But the newest part for him, out of everything, was the fact that he didn't mind any of it. He felt comfortable, more than he'd ever felt. Liam made him feel at home no matter where they were, and for now that was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for abuse! lots of it

Most of their days were spent doing mundane things. School ended—though Theo didn’t attend since he spent most of the year in hell and would be held back next year anyway—and the seniors of the pack graduated. 

Around that time, Theo had his first bad night at Liam’s place. He was used to nightmares since he had them so often, but some nights were different. He’d wake up over and over not knowing if he was still dreaming and his sister, or sometimes Tracy or Josh, would come rip out his heart. 

“Theo?” Liam whispered, trying to wake him without startling him too much. Theo blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted and focused on Liam, who was kneeling next to the couch looking very concerned.

“Where’s my sister?” He said, instantly sitting up and putting his hand over his chest.

Liam stared at him with a lost expression, like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure what the appropriate response was. “I think you were having a nightmare. I’m sorry for waking you,” he whispered softly, avoiding the question he didn’t want to have to answer.

Theo blinked hard and brushed his hair out of his face, seemingly trying to ground himself with little success. His breathing was fast, way too fast for him to even pretend to be calm. Liam stood up, slowly, and sat next to Theo on the couch. He’d recognize the signs of an oncoming panic attack anywhere; they were a common occurrence for him too.

He carefully moved his hand on top of Theo’s, which was still gripped tight to his shirt right above his heart. “Your heart’s still there. You’re okay.”

“It’s not mine,” Theo’s voice was shaky, he was visibly barely holding himself together. “It shouldn’t still be there. It’s not mine.”

Liam wasn’t the most comforting person in the world, in fact he was pretty bad at it, so he decided against saying anything else and instead he put his arms around Theo and pulled him into a hug. The angle was sort of awkward, but Theo didn’t pull away and instead buried his face into Liam’s chest.

“I’m sorry it happened to you. All of it.” Liam said quietly once Theo had stopped shaking against him. “You didn’t deserve it, no matter what anyone’s ever said… Including me. I’m sorry.”

Theo lifted himself from Liam’s embrace to meet the other boy’s eyes. He knew he looked like a wreck, but he was too exhausted to care.

“I hated them.” Theo whispered, and Liam didn’t have to ask who he meant. “They lied to me about everything. They only kept me alive because I was useful, the closest they ever got to their success. But they didn’t care about me. For years they mostly kept me locked in a basement or some type of cell wherever we went. I was too young to help them with anything they did. Sometimes there was nowhere to keep me, so I’d be allowed to wander around. But if I touched anything, or got in the way, they’d just… throw me into the wall or knock me out or something.”

Liam winced. All of it sounded far too familiar to when he was younger. “I know what that’s like. Did you ever try to leave?”

“Once. I was probably 13, and they weren’t around, so I just booked it. Ran as far as I could for what felt like hours. They found me though, they always could. Looking back it was probably some kind of loyalty test anyway. They brought me back unconscious, never said anything. Just stabbed that cane through me into a wall in a back room and let me sit there for days with no food or water until I finally managed to pull it out on my own. Left a nasty scar. Probably a chimera thing, weaker healing and all that.”

Theo lifted the bottom of his shirt, revealing the lighter coloured scar tissue right above his hip, barely visible in the moonlight through the window, and then pulled it back down again like he didn’t want Liam looking at it too long. 

“Eventually I just figured it’d be easier to be loyal to them. They let me come and go freely once I got older and started helping out. So that’s what I did. They’d reward me with freedom and promises and tell me power was the only way to get anywhere. But it was still my choice. Not like I can blame anyone else.” 

His last words came out quieter than he’d intended for them, and he waited for Liam to remind him that he deserved the abuse anyway, but his expression was nothing but soft.

“It still wasn’t your fault,” was what he said instead. “None of it was. Thanks for telling me.”

“I’ve never talked about it to anyone before. I never had anyone to tell. So thanks for being the first person to be here for me.” 

Liam nodded and smiled. “You should get some more sleep if you can. Sleep in the bed tonight.” Theo opened his mouth to protest but Liam tilted his head and gave him a pleading look, which was convincing enough for him.

“Thanks.” Theo said, making his way over to the bed. “And can we not talk about this in the morning? Or ever?” 

“Of course, but I’m always willing to listen if you change your mind.” 

“Okay. Thanks again.” Theo gave Liam a small smile before lying down and falling asleep.

~

Liam kept his promise and didn’t bring up anything that happened during the night, but he couldn’t help but think about it and Theo knew it. He was a whole lot quieter than usual all day, and more distant too. But Liam couldn’t get over how vulnerable he had been the night before, and how much hurt he’d concealed. He always thought they were similar, but maybe even more than he ever could have imagined.

Things were kind of awkward, so Liam was grateful that he had plans with everyone to go out for lunch as celebration for everyone getting accepted into their dream programs. 

“You can make yourself anything for lunch, my parents will both be out all day,” Liam said as he grabbed his hoodie. “See you in a little bit.”

Theo just nodded, not even looking up from his phone, and Liam frowned and turned to leave. He kind of understood, because when he first started becoming friends with Mason he acted the same. He’d lash out at some kid or freak out and breakdown and spill his heart out to Mason about his own traumas and self-hatred, and then avoid him for an entire week right after. Eventually, it got easier to be open when he wasn’t in an emotionally vulnerable state, and he stopped avoiding him after every time he did, but it took time.

Still, he wished Theo wasn’t so closed off. It hurt a little bit, even if he understood, and he really wasn’t sure why it hurt. 

He put it out of his mind and instead focused on being happy for his other friends. Or at least, as happy as he could be about his friends leaving him with a ton of responsibility, even if it was to go to college or whatever.

~

It was almost the evening by the time Liam got home. 

“Hey I—” Liam’s voice stopped as he pushed open the door and saw his room completely empty. “Theo?”

No reply. He could tell he wasn’t in the house, there was no point in searching. If he didn’t come back, who knows what Liam would have to tell the pack. _Sorry, I know you said he wasn’t allowed to leave but I might have lost him?_ So much for responsibility. Liam ran downstairs and out the door, hoping to be able to catch the other boy’s scent and follow it before he got too far.

He followed it into the woods, which wasn’t too surprising. What was surprising was how it was getting stronger as he followed it, and how familiar the area looked. 

“Theo?” Liam called out, knowing he was close by. 

“Over here.” Theo’s voice called back, much quieter than Liam’s but loud enough to be heard.

Liam, still confused by why Theo had walked into the woods with no warning, walked out into the opening and froze as he saw his answer. Theo was sitting on the bridge where Liam had first met him, over the river where his sister died. 

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude I just wasn’t sure where you went so I got worried—” 

“It’s fine, Liam,” Theo said with a tiny smile. “I figured you’d follow anyway. Come sit.”

Liam did as he was asked, still feeling both guilty and confused. He swung his legs gently over the edge of the bridge as Theo did the same, and tried not to overthink despite the silence. He could feel Theo’s eyes on him, but didn’t really want to look up and make things more awkward than they already were.

“I know I’m the one who said we shouldn’t talk about last night, but can I ask you something?” Theo said finally.

Liam looked up, not expecting to hear that at all, and nodded.

“When I was talking about all that shit with the doctors, you said you knew what it was like. What’d you mean?”

“Oh,” Liam said breathlessly as he broke eye contact and looked back at the moving stream beneath them. “Before my mom finally left and took me with her, we lived with my birth father. He was… pretty terrible for the first 11 years of my life. Not all the time but I got hit, like, 3 times a week on a good week. Didn’t really matter what I did wrong, or if I even did anything really wrong. My mom was working a lot, more than she does now even, so she didn’t really know about the physical stuff or it probably wouldn’t have lasted so long. Once she figured it out, we got the hell out of there. Still hurts sometimes though. Pretty sure it explains the IED anyway.”

Liam tried to be casual about it, but he knew he’d be radiating emotion anyway so there was really no point in trying to pretend he wasn’t feeling as broken as Theo felt last night.

“I’m glad he’s out of your life now,” Theo said softly. “Life really fucked us over.”

“Yeah. I still miss him sometimes though. I know that’s fucked up, you don’t have to tell me, but I do. He calls me from time to time. I never pick up. It’s just so much easier to stay angry at him after everything. I don’t know what I’d even do if he apologized or said he cared about me or something. So I’d rather not risk hearing it. Anger feels like control over the situation instead of letting it control me, and even if that’s bullshit it’s comforting enough.”

Liam felt his chest heating up and clenched his fists, drawing blood almost immediately. “Fuck,” he muttered with an embarrassed yet bitter laugh. “I’ve never talked about this to anyone besides Mason.”

Theo looked at him empathetically, and slowly lifted his hand and wiped a tear off Liam’s cheek with his thumb. Liam just blinked at him, visibly shocked by the gesture. 

“Take deep breaths. Try to match my breathing if you can,” was all Theo said before taking Liam’s still clenched hands in his own and carefully opening them to prevent any more harm.

After a few minutes, Liam had properly calmed down and Theo let go of his hands. 

“I’m sorry I’m such a mess. I thought after all this time I would be able to talk about it without freaking out but obviously I was wrong.” Liam felt awful for making Theo comfort him, especially after last night, especially _here_ of all places.

“Don’t apologize, you’re good,” Theo replied before turning his attention back to the stream.

Liam wished he could place a label on the things Theo made him feel, but he was never good at that. He just felt warm and comfortable, kind of like he did with Mason but not exactly. Something was different.

Theo, on the other hand, was acutely aware of how hard he’d fallen for Liam. It meant nothing; between Liam having shown zero interest in guys and seemingly unaware of Theo being gay himself, and the fact that even if Liam were interested it wouldn’t be in Theo, he had no chance. 

Theo kind of hated how Liam made him feel—soft and vulnerable and just emotional in general. But, truthfully, he didn’t hate it at all.

“What are you thinking about?” Liam asked, snapping Theo out of his thoughts.

“You.”

“Huh. Can’t be good then.” Liam joked with a small laugh.

Theo rolled his eyes with a smile. “Actually, it is. I was thinking about how I actually trust you.”

“Oh.” Liam looked at the boy sitting next to him, with his soft eyes and messy hair, and grinned. “I trust you too. It’s weird because I don’t trust easily, but things are different with you.”

“Good different or bad different?”

“Good,” Liam replied without hesitation. “Definitely good. You make me want to trust you.”

Theo smiled, really smiled, and Liam’s breath caught. He felt himself start to blush and looked away fast, hoping Theo wouldn’t notice. 

“Wanna get going?” Theo said, still smiling.

“Sure, we can pick up dinner on the way home.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst angst angst... this is an AU so brett's fine & there's no amplified fear & only hunters... oops

The next days were different. For starters, since Theo wouldn’t agree to let Liam sleep on the couch in his own room, they shared the bed. It was queen size, and neither of them had any problems with it.

Things were different between them too though. Little things, like the way Liam would gently brush an eyelash off Theo’s cheek without a second thought, or how they’d sit so close that their legs touched without either of them bothering to move away. 

Neither of them outwardly acknowledged the change, or even showed any hint of noticing it. It was just an unspoken truth.

But the problem with life, especially life in Beacon Hills, was that things never stayed okay for very long. 

Scott wouldn’t fill Liam in on what was happening, all he said was to avoid the woods and to not travel alone in the evening, which wasn’t too different from what his parents told him anyway. He finally got an opportunity to figure out most of what was happening when Brett called in the middle of the night, asking for help. 

Careful not to wake Theo, Liam got out of bed and hopped out the open window, heading into the woods despite what he’d been told. If Brett, of all people, was calling him at 1 in the morning asking for help, it was serious.

He half stumbled around, trying to follow Brett’s familiar but distant scent deeper into the trees. He caught the smell of blood too. On a better day, he’d have shrugged it off as a dead animal, but not in the dead of night after a panicked call from Brett.

Liam thought about calling out for Brett, but something told him that he wouldn’t be alone out here.

All of a sudden Liam felt himself being jerked backwards and before he could even process what was happening he was flat on his back.

“ _Brett?_ ” Liam half-shouted, exasperated.

Brett shushed him back equally as loud. 

“What the fuck is going on? It’s like the middle of the f—” Liam’s voice was quickly muffled by Brett’s hand over his mouth.

Brett looked around as Liam tried to give him the most pissed off expression he could manage while half his face was being covered.

“Your guidance counsellor,” Brett finally said, sitting back and letting Liam brush himself off. 

“Is that supposed to clear things up for me, or…?” Liam was beyond confused, and honestly kind of irritated by Brett’s weird behaviour.

“No because I wasn’t done, dumbass,” Brett said with his usual playful smirk before his expression went serious again. “She tried to kill me. Threw a ball covered in wolfsbane at me and then chased me into the woods with weapons. She’s got someone with her too, someone with a crossbow.”

“Why is it so damn easy to land a job at our school,” Liam breathed. “Why didn’t you run home?”

“I can’t let them hurt Lori.” Brett scanned the area again before looking back at Liam. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know who else to call in the area.”

“We could make a break for Scott’s house? You’d be safe for the night there.” 

Brett nodded, so Liam got up and started running, checking behind him every so often to make sure Brett was still following. 

~

Liam knocked loudly on the front door when they arrived, grateful that he knew Melissa had a night shift with his dad tonight.

After a few moments, Scott finally came to the door, clearly just woken up from sleep. “Liam?”

“I know it’s late but I didn’t know who else to bring him to,” Liam said apologetically. 

“Come inside.” Scott rubbed his eye and nodded, already understanding more of the situation than even Liam did. 

After a long period of explaining by Scott, Liam and Brett learned about his history with hunters, namely Gerard and the Argents in general, and that there was a new group of them led by him that had arrived in Beacon Hills recently. 

Liam pulled out his phone and sent Theo a quick text that some supernatural stuff had come up and he was at Scott’s, for when he woke up.

“How is he?” Scott asked gently, sounding more curious than concerned.

“Good. He’s good I think. I’m glad he’s with me.” Liam looked away shyly as he said it, as if it was his face and not his chemosignals that would give away how much he had grown to care for Theo.

But to his relief, Scott just smiled and pat Liam on the shoulder.

“Both of you, get some rest,” Scott said, nodding towards the couches. “I’ll tell my mom you’re staying the night.”

Liam found himself missing hearing the soft sound of Theo’s breathing next to him as he fell asleep at night, but his thoughts could only keep him awake so long before he drifted off, exhausted.

~

Theo was lying awake in bed when Liam got home early the next morning. He gave Liam a questioning look the second he walked through the door.

“Sorry for disappearing,” Liam muttered before lying down on the bed, his face inches away from Theo’s. “There’s a lot of stuff going on.” 

Theo just stared at him, so intently that Liam had to fight off a blush. Luckily for him, Theo turned his head and looked back up at the ceiling instead.

“Bad stuff?” It was barely a question, seeing as he already knew what the answer would be.

“Bad stuff,” Liam sighed. “Hunters.”

“Wait, wait, hold on. _Hunters?_ Like, werewolf hunters, here in Beacon Hills?” Theo sat up, looking almost angry. “God, honestly why the hell are any of you still here? Living here is a death sentence, why am I still here!?” 

“Where else are we supposed to go? It’s no safer anywhere else for us.” Liam’s voice was loud, and he felt his blood rising.

“Fucking anywhere!” Theo stood up and grabbed his worn bag and threw his clothes from the drawer in it messily. “I’m not staying. I’m getting as far away from here as possible.”

“That’s not an option, Scott said—”

“I really just don’t give a shit, Liam. Tell Scott I fucking attacked you and ran off before you could stop me if it’ll help you sleep better. In fact, I actually will if you try to stop me, so don’t. For both our sakes.”

Liam just stood there, speechless as Theo finished packing his bag. All the anger he had in him had died with Theo’s words.

“And _don’t_ follow me this time,” Theo hissed, shoving Liam back onto his bed with one hand as he walked out.

Liam didn’t move for a long while. He sat in the exact spot he’d fallen on, palms bloody from his own claws, and tried his hardest to not freak out. His mantra failed to calm him down in the slightest, so he went outside and did the next best thing: punching the brick wall on the outside of his house until his knuckles bled, healed, and bled again. 

The problem was that he wasn’t just angry. He wasn’t having one of his common bouts of rage. He was upset that Theo would just threaten him and walk out after everything, but it was more than anger. It just hurt.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters in 2 days because i felt bad for the end of the last one  
> tw for violence!

Liam walked into school a few days later looking like a ghost.

“I know summer school sucks but it’d probably be a little bit easier if you slept,” Corey joked, looking actually concerned about the boy in front of him.

Liam groaned, and Corey gave him a sympathetic smile.

“And you,” Corey said, pausing to dramatically turn towards Mason, “Actually look happy to be here. What’s wrong with both of you?” 

“It’s not so bad! You get to do a 5 month course in 1 month, what’s wrong with that?” Mason rebutted.

“Unlike you, some of us are forced to be here because we already took the 5 month course and failed it.”

“Touché,” Mason laughed and stopped outside one of the open doors. “Liam, this is your class right?”

Liam nodded and gave them a weak smile. “See you guys at lunch.” 

“Text me if you need anything, okay?” Mason smiled back before turning to go find his own classroom, but he looked worried too.

“We love you!” Corey shouted from down the hall, which made Liam laugh a little bit. He was lucky to have both of them looking out for him, even on his worst days.

~

Liam’s morning class went by as fast as anyone could expect a summer math course to go. The occasional buzz of his phone was probably the only thing keeping him from passing out at his desk.

**From:** Mason (10:49 A.M.)  
Corey has to catch up on work for the first half of lunch. I’ll meet you outside your classroom :-)

**To:** Mason (10:51 A.M.)  
sounds good

**From:** Mason (11:27 A.M.)  
and hey, don’t forget that I’m here for you

Liam smiled at his phone under his desk. He loved that Mason never pushed him to talk, but still gently reminded him that he could if he wanted to. He sent a thank you text and put his phone away until the lunch bell finally rang.

“Liam.” 

Liam turned around, unable to put a name to the voice. Surprisingly, seeing the speaker’s face didn’t help much either since he didn’t recognize the taller boy standing in front him.

“Uh, yeah?” He replied, turning his attention back to shoving his books into his bag.

“Name’s Gabe. I wanted to ask you a question, if that’s alright.”

“I’m really not that good at math,” Liam laughed.

Gabe watched as the room cleared out, save for his few friends, Liam, and himself, before turning back to Liam. 

“It’s an easy question, don’t worry,” Gabe said with a smile. “Hold this for me?” He handed Liam his pen and grinned wider as the beta dropped feebly.

“Ms. Monroe said that always worked. Watch the door,” Gabe nodded to his two friends, who did as they were told, and grabbed Liam by the collar and dragged him away from the desks.

“So, Liam, what I want to know is simple,” Gabe dragged his syllables dramatically, clearly enjoying himself. He swung the arm that wasn’t holding Liam and hit him once, then again. “Why doesn’t anyone…” He hit him again. “... in this school…” Again. “Notice anything?”

Liam’s face was covered in blood, and the floor was already smeared with red. 

“Liam!” Mason’s panicked voice called from outside the doorway, but he couldn’t manage to push past the two bigger boys blocking the entrance. “Leave him alone!” 

Liam strained to open his eyes and watched as his best friend struggled hopelessly to get through to him. He looked destroyed, which frankly upset Liam more than getting beaten. Liam gave Mason the smallest and weakest smile, the best he could manage, before Gabe hit him one more time and everything went black. 

He came to just moments later, soon enough to see Mason run in and drop to his side, and put his hands on the sides of Liam’s face. Liam put his own hand overtop of one of Mason’s and gave him another weak smile. 

“I’m gonna move you, okay? You won’t heal lying on the floor,” Mason’s voice was shaky. Over almost 6 years, Mason had seen some of Liam’s worst but he never got upset; he was always just concerned. But even then, Liam had never seen Mason look as emotionally wrecked as he looked at that moment.

It took a painful minute to get Liam to properly sit up on a desk, and he was still being held up by Mason for support.

“That bad, huh?” Liam tried to smile, but his face gave away too much pain for it to pass as a joke. “I’m sorry you had to see it, Mase.”

He looked up at Mason’s soft expression and finally fell apart and buried his face into his best friend’s shoulder, one arm wrapped around his back in a hug and the other keeping himself from toppling over. Mason held him back in a tight embrace, and it was minutes before Liam was ready to let go.

“I’m sorry,” Liam whispered, barely audible.

“It’s okay, you don’t have anything to apologize for. Let me drive you home.” Mason grabbed the tissue box on the teacher’s desk and did his best to gently wipe the half-dried blood off Liam’s face. 

~

“So, you want to tell me what’s going on?” Mason asked as he turned to face Liam at the first red light they hit.

“I thought I told you,” Liam furrowed his brow. “There’s a lot of new hunters around.”

“Not the hunters, Liam. What’s going on with _you_. You look like you haven’t slept in days, you’re barely talking to anyone, I hadn’t even heard from you for almost a week before today.” 

Liam stared out the window intently, as if lost in his own thoughts.

“You know I’m only asking because you’re my best friend and I’m worried,” Mason sighed. 

“I don’t think I’m straight,” Liam muttered, almost hoping that maybe Mason wouldn’t hear him.

Mason didn’t say anything for a moment, knowing from experience how important his next words would be.

They were barely 13 when he first came out to Liam, who responded by giving Mason one of the biggest hugs he’d ever received. As sentimental as it would be to recreate the moment, they were in the car and the conversation’s tone was different.

“Thanks for telling me, Li.” Mason gave him a warm smile, and Liam playfully rolled his eyes at the nickname before smiling back. “Don’t worry about figuring stuff out labels and stuff right away. It’s hard, but, luckily for you, I’ve got years worth of experience to help.”

Liam relaxed in the seat a little more, relieved to finally get the topic off his chest.

“How’d you figure it out?” Mason questioned gently, seeing as Liam clearly had a lot on his mind.

“A lot of things over the years. I guess I’d been thinking about it more lately because I might’ve felt something for Theo. And I kind of thought he might’ve felt something too. But I was wrong.”

“Something happen?” Mason tried to ignore the fact that his best friend might be falling in love with Theo Raeken of all people, and focused on the rest. 

“He… left.”

“Left. He left?”

“Yes, Mase, he left. Please don’t tell Scott.” Liam’s expression was somewhere between guilty and pleading. He just looked exhausted.

“Against my better judgement, okay, because I trust you. What happened?” 

“I just told him about the hunters and everything and he said Beacon Hills was a death sentence and kind of ran off. Really aggressively. With all his stuff.”

“He’s kind of got a point.”

Liam groaned, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the headrest. “What am I supposed to do?” His voice was quiet and defeated.

“Just text him. Maybe he hasn’t gone too far,” Mason suggested as they turned into Liam’s driveway. 

“Yeah, it’s worth a shot,” Liam mumbled as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “I know I don’t say it enough but thank you. For everything.”

“Don’t mention it. You gonna be okay or do you want me to hang around?”

“I’m good, thanks. Go back to school and learn shit.”

“I’ll send you my notes from last semester and give your teacher some lousy excuse. See you, Li!” 

Liam waved goodbye as Mason drove off. The inside of his house still smelled too much like Theo, and it probably would for a while considering how long he’d stayed there. Liam sighed and pushed the thought out of his mind quickly.

He stared down at Theo’s number in his phone as he pushed open the door to his room, unsure of what he’d even say.

“Liam.”

The voice startled Liam, and he almost dropped his phone at the sound of it. 

“You came back,” was all Liam could manage to say breathlessly, staring at Theo sitting on his bed.

“I’m not very good at the whole apologizing thing, but… Yeah, I came back. You’re the only friend I’ve got. I’m sorry for being an asshole.” Theo’s voice had a hint of irritation, but it felt more directed towards himself than Liam.

Liam sat on the bed next to Theo and looked down at his hands. 

“I’ve never really had anyone who cared about me,” Theo continued, more quietly. “It’s hard to get used to. I don’t actually give a shit about hunters. I just got freaked out.”

Liam looked up at the taller boy sitting next to him and smiled. “Would you have really attacked me?”

“No,” Theo chuckled. “No, I just knew if I said it you wouldn’t try to stop me. I’m sorry, Liam.”

“It’s okay. Don’t run off again though. I’ll give you space if you ask but I was…” Liam paused, wringing his hands nervously. “I was worried. I thought you weren’t coming back.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Theo said with a smirk. “I hate to change the topic but you want to tell me why your face is half covered in dried blood now?”

“If I told you it’d be admitting that you were right and that Beacon Hills is unbelievably dangerous and we can’t have that.” Liam smiled, attempting to brush off the question, but Theo’s expression gave away that he wasn’t going to let it slide that easily.

“Hunters, really? Even at the high school?” 

Liam just nodded and sighed. “There’s a kid named Gabe. You’d think I’d be able to manage but,” he paused, motioning with his hands towards his bloody face and shirt, “Clearly I can’t.”

“Why didn’t you shift and make him stop?”

Liam frowned and broke eye contact, fully intending to ignore the question.

“Liam. I just… I don’t know what to do if you don’t help me help.” Theo was still having a hard time learning how to properly express care for Liam, but he was willing to try if it’d help.

“It’s not like Gabe’s wrong. It’s not like any of them are wrong. I’ve been a werewolf for a year and a half and my control is still shit. Being a werewolf might help with physical illness but it can’t cure anything wrong up in my head and that’s my fucking problem. I’m a time-bomb, Theo. Nothing I do can fix that. I’m tired of being ‘the I.E.D.’ And I’m tired of being told it’s not everything I am when it feels like my entire personality is just anger.”

“Would you believe me if I said it’s not your fault you’re angry and that you don’t deserve to be punished?”

“No,” Liam said with the best smile he could manage.

“Okay, then I won’t. Still true though.” Theo got up and walked into the bathroom to grab a wet towel and began to wipe the blood off Liam’s face. 

“Why’d you come back?” Liam whispered so quietly that Theo barely heard him.

“I thought I said I didn’t really want to leave in the first place. I just lost my shit.”

Liam’s face scrunched up, like he was asking the wrong question and wanting a different answer, but he just shook the expression off a moment later.

“You should lie down and get some sleep. You look like you haven’t gotten rest in days,” Theo said, diverting the topic.

Liam let out a small sound of agreement and lied down. Theo gave him a small smile and started to sit up.

“I missed you,” Liam mumbled drowsily, his eyes barely open.

Of all the things Theo could have expected Liam to say in that moment, or ever really, that was not one of them. Luckily, Liam seemed to be far too tired for chemosignals, and hopefully too tired to see the expression on Theo’s face as well.

“Yeah, you too,” Theo whispered, even though based on Liam’s breathing he was pretty sure he was already fast asleep. He pulled the covers over the beta and decided to go for a walk in the woods to clear his head.

Except it did the opposite of that, because all he could think about was Liam. He was in deep, there was no point in denying it, but being around him made it so much worse. Liam could do anything, hell, he could even just sit still doing practically nothing, and Theo would just fall harder. 

Theo wanted Liam to like him back, but he also didn’t. Liam’s life was hard enough without a dysfunctional relationship with a dysfunctional chimera weighing it down. With that train of thoughts came the almost irresistible feeling in his gut to run and get as far away from Liam as he could, but Theo wasn’t even sure he could do that anymore, because it clearly got to Liam and that’s the last thing he wants.

Theo sighed as he kicked at the dirt under his shoes. He can’t remember the last time he cared about someone else’s well-being more than his own, if he ever did. But Liam was different. He was the first person who helped him since hell, the first person who valued Theo’s life as a person, and he was his first friend. Of course he’d be the first person Theo fell in love with too.


	5. Chapter 5

Liam didn’t wake up until his alarm went off the next morning. Theo was already sitting up next to him, reading something.

“Morning.” Theo smirked as he said it, without looking up, and Liam squinted at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Reading.” Theo’s tone was playful, so Liam sat up a bit, leaning on his elbows as he focused on the page Theo was on.

“Is this my old yearbook?”

“Maybe.” Theo looked at Liam’s face, which was bright red, and laughed lightly. “Anyone ever tell you that you look a dumbass in your grade 5 picture?”

Liam groaned and pushed his face into his pillow, earning another small laugh from Theo, who put the yearbook down on the night table.

“Sorry, I got bored. You sleep a lot.”

Liam turned to meet Theo’s eyes with a jokingly mean glare before laughing too.

“You should probably get ready for school,” Theo said breathlessly, which he probably could’ve blamed on the laughter if he didn’t know it was mostly because Liam was smiling up at him sleepily with his messy hair and blue eyes, and he loved it.

“Probably. Wish I didn’t have to though.”

“I can walk with you, if you want.” He felt kind of stupid for offering, but he could also smell the anxiety radiating off of Liam, probably because of Gabe and the other hunters, and his comfort meant more to Theo than subtlety.

Liam nodded shyly. He looked genuinely scared, and it made Theo angry; angry at the hunters, angry at Scott for not being around, angry at himself for leaving. And he definitely wasn’t going to let anyone hurt Liam again.

~

Liam walked slowly on the way to school, he was probably going to be late for his first class at this point, but Theo didn’t push him and matched his pace instead.

“Hey, if anything happens you can call me,” Theo said gently as they neared the parking lot. “Be safe.” 

Liam gave him a small smile and Theo tried not to worry. He was going to hang around in the woods nearest to the school, so he’d be close just in case, but he was still nervous.

Luckily for Liam, going to school went back to being boring and uneventful for the first half. Gabe glared at him—excessively—and Liam resisted the urge to call Theo just out of paranoia. 

When the lunch bell rang, Liam practically booked it out of the classroom and almost crashed into Mason and Corey.

“Hey, everything going okay?” Mason asked, looking worried.

“Yeah, fine. Fine so far. Just nerves.” As soon as the words left Liam’s mouth he felt an arm tug on his arm, shockingly gentle.

He turned, expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised to come face to face with Theo.

“What are you doing here?” He questioned, letting out the breath he was holding in with a sigh of relief.

“Didn’t wanna wait for you to get hurt. Come on.” Theo tugged on Liam’s arm again and started to walk away.

Liam followed unquestioningly after he gave Mason and Corey a shrug and a sympathetic smile as they stared, confused. 

“What are we doing?” Liam whispered, trying to keep up with Theo.

“Making sure you’re safe enough to come to school,” Theo replied, pushing open the door to the locker room.

“Oh… Okay, what’s that involve?” Liam really had no idea what Theo had planned, but he was feeling kind of nervous.

“Teaching a lesson.” Theo smirked back. 

“Do you always have to be so vague?”

“It makes stuff more dramatic.” Theo offered, smiling when Liam laughed. 

“I noticed. But seriously, what are we doing here?” 

Theo smirked again, and walked over the one of the lockers, ripping the lock off. Liam blinked in surprise and tried to figure out who the locker belonged too as Theo tore the door off the hinges and tossed it into the showers.

“It’s Gabe’s. There’s nothing fun in here,” Theo murmured after a few moments, before grabbing the shirt hung inside and ripping it in half. “Can you go grab the black bag by the wall?”

Liam stifled a laugh and walked over to the pile of bags against the wall, presumably for the optional summer practice right after school that Liam had planned to skip.

“Which one?” Liam asked, kicking at the bags. 

“The one on the left,” Theo answered, ripping up the few loose notes he found in the locker.

Liam brought over the bag and set it on the bench, zipping it open. 

“Bingo.” Theo said as he picked up the lacrosse stick. “Wanna do the honours? I think I’ve wrecked enough of Gabe’s stuff.” He nodded towards the mess on the floor and Liam laughed again and took the stick, snapping it in half. 

Scott would never do something like this with Liam, he’d probably have given Gabe a stern talking to in private, and Malia and Stiles would’ve gone with threats of violence unless Scott told them not to. And as much as he appreciated the help of his pack, there was something much more therapeutic about trashing the locker of someone who beat the shit out of him, and Theo seemed to understand that better than anyone.

Liam jumped a bit when the door into the room opened. He couldn’t see who it was from behind the lockers, but he could guess. 

“Stay here for, like, 30 seconds” Theo whispered as he got up and walked out into the open, clearly expecting this. 

“Who the hell are you?” Gabe asked bitterly. 

“A friend. Is Monroe paying you?” Theo’s tone had a hint of sarcasm in it, barely noticeable.

“I have no idea w—” Gabe’s voice was cut off by the loud crash of a body slamming into metal, which Liam could only assume was Gabe’s. Liam finally stepped out from behind the lockers and saw Theo pinning Gabe up against them on the other side. 

“I didn’t mean your friend, and I don’t really care about your motives either. But don’t you even fucking _try_ to touch Liam again.” 

Liam stared at the sight in front of him, taking in the fact that Theo was willing to go this far to keep him safe.

“And if I don’t?” Gabe still wouldn’t even drop the tough act when he knew he’d lost.

Theo grabbed Gabe’s head and hit it hard against the mirror, cracking the glass. “I break both your arms,” he replied, in such a casual tone that it took Liam a second to process that what he said was a threat.

Liam stepped forward without thinking and put a hand on Theo’s shoulder and the latter relaxed, letting go of Gabe and watching him drop to the floor. 

“You’re lucky your boyfriend’s tougher than you, Liam.” Gabe spat, touching the bloody bruise on his forehead. Liam opened his mouth to reply, but all he could think of rebutting was that Theo wasn’t his boyfriend, and that didn’t really sound tough or appropriate at all.

“And you’re lucky Liam’s nice enough to not want me to kill you here and now,” Theo shot back with a sarcastic smile.

“Let’s just go,” Liam said softly, tired of listening to Gabe’s comments.

Theo didn’t say anything else, he just threw one more glare at Gabe before following Liam out.

“You knew he’d come?” Liam asked as soon as they were in the hallway.

“Not really. I kind of figured, because he was tailing you from the moment you stepped out of the class for lunch, though.” Theo said with a shrug. “I’m sorry, I know you probably didn’t want to see him get beaten up but I really had to scare him off. I don’t want to… see you get hurt again.”

Liam nodded. “I’m not mad. I just wasn’t expecting it. It helped honestly, plus he kind of had it coming.

“Yeah, he did,” Theo agreed. “I’ll see you after school, okay? I’ll walk home with you.” 

Liam grinned, happy to have someone like Theo by his side, especially when most of his pack was either already gone or preparing to go away. Theo turned to leave when Liam grabbed his hand.

“Thank you,” he whispered, squeezing the taller boy’s hand a little bit before letting go. He turned and left towards the cafeteria before Theo had a chance to say anything else, which was better for both of them since both were sporting a pink blush.

~

Liam sat down at the table Mason and Corey were at without saying a word, but Mason put his head in his hands as Corey started grinning the second they saw him.

“Did you kiss him?” Corey asked gleefully, to which he earned a nudge from Mason.

“I’m guessing you told him,” Liam directed at Mason, but there was no heat behind the question.

“Honestly, he’d guessed you liked Theo, like, three months ago. I was betting on Brett.” Mason’s tone was a weird combination of joking and apologetic, and Liam couldn’t help but laugh.

“You guys had a bet?” 

“He had to give me five dollars,” Corey boasted. “Seriously, though. Kiss details.”

“He didn’t kiss me,” Liam said, still laughing.

“You kissed him?” 

“No Corey, there was no kissing.”

“What else is the locker room even for though…”

“As much as I know you two love to make out in there, it may surprise you to find out that the change room's purpose is, in fact, changing,” Liam joked.

“Why were you getting changed with Theo?” Corey asked, squinting at Liam. Mason burst into laughter and even Liam couldn’t keep a straight face.

“We just trashed Gabe’s locker,” Liam finally said. “And he might’ve hit Gabe once. Or twice.”

“I thought you said he didn’t like you back?” Mason raised an eyebrow at his best friend.

“He doesn’t! Or at least I don’t think he does. I’m not really sure anymore. I guess I want him to but I don’t even know what I’d do if he did,” Liam’s voice trailed off into silence.

“Dude, as a wise and experienced gay, take my word for it,” Corey began and Liam rolled his eyes with a smile. “You don’t protect someone like that if you aren’t in love with them.”

“I’d do it for you or Mason,” Liam replied, before realizing how that sounded and blushing.

“Liam, I think you and Mason get asked if you’re dating more than him and I do. And we _are_ dating.” 

Liam thought about that for a second before nodding in agreement. 

“You should make a move,” Mason suggested, picking a fry off Corey’s plate. 

“You know I won’t,” Liam said with a smile.

“Okay, yeah. But you should.”

Liam shrugged as the 5-minute warning bell rang for the end of lunch. He already felt much less anxious about school, so he waved goodbye to his friends and headed to his class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a shorter chapter because the next one's longer than usual and i needed to fill in some more plot. c:


	6. Chapter 6

Everything in Liam’s life was going smoothly, and the threat of hunters in Beacon Hills was still present, but Liam had barely noticed without Gabe harassing him at school. Plus, knowing Monroe was the lead hunter to worry about gave the supernaturals an advantage. And stuff was going well with Theo too, they were as comfortable with each other as ever. 

Liam was still antsy though. He tried not to be, he had plenty of reason to be happy, but he wasn’t. Between the insecurity, paranoia, his general instability, and his I.E.D., he was completely on edge.

Theo had come to lacrosse practice with Liam, and the two of them were walking home as the sky began to get dark. As they got to the front door, Theo turned to face the beta beside him.

“What’s going on with you?” He questioned, half blocking Liam from walking past.

“Nothing,” Liam grumbled, trying to push past as he was clearly not interested in having this conversation.

“I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me, Liam,” Theo tried not to get frustrated, because he knew Liam closed himself off sometimes, but it wasn’t easy.

“Maybe I don’t want your help.” Liam gave Theo a bitter smile and a cold glare that the latter really wasn’t expecting.

“Why the fuck not? You can’t just close yourself off and be an asshole to the people who care about you all the time. You aren’t the only one with problems, you know?”

Liam gave him another mean look. “Go on, then.” 

“I didn’t mean it, L—” He didn’t get an opportunity to finish when Liam shoved him into the outer wall of his house.

“Didn’t you, though?” Liam shot back, angrily.

“Liam, what the hell is your problem?”

“I don’t have a fucking problem! Back off!” Liam’s eyes flashed gold, letting Theo know he was serious.

“You always have a fucking problem. It’s always something, so spit it out. Let me help.” 

Liam punched the wall next to Theo, his hand making a painful cracking noise upon contact. Theo stared at the boy in front of him as the anger visibly seeped out of him.

“I said back off,” was all Liam could say, tiredly. He tossed Theo the key and stormed off towards the woods, not looking back even for a second.

Theo wanted to follow him but thought better of it. This was his house, after all, and he’d probably be back when he felt ready. Still, Theo felt pretty bad for pushing him, especially knowing he had trouble controlling his anger—even more when he was stressed out.

It only took a couple hours for Theo to begin to worry. 

**From:** Theo (8:43 P.M.)  
hey, i’m sorry for being pushy. you okay?

Theo stared blankly at his phone for what felt like forever, even though the clock said it had only been ten minutes, before he decided to call. He wondered when he’d become so clingy as he listened to the phone ring before going to voicemail.

Liam wasn’t the type to not let someone know he was pissed, he would’ve just declined the call or texted back some kind of “fuck off” message. He wasn’t the type to give anyone the silent treatment, and Theo was starting to get kind of freaked out, especially with how hard it was raining outside. 

He gave up fighting his gut instinct and threw on a hoodie and ran outside. The smell of rainfall and mud was almost overpowering, but Theo caught a faint scent and followed it. 

To no surprise, following the scent led deeper into the woods. Theo tried his best to keep the trail but it was fading, and Liam was nowhere. There was another scent in the air too, one Theo immediately recognized as blood. Pretty soon, all he could smell was blood and rain, and Liam’s scent was gone.

He pulled out his phone again and called one of the only other numbers he had saved.

“Mason? Mason, yeah it’s me. Listen, can you reach Liam?” Theo’s voice was panicky, there was no point in trying to hide it.

“He didn’t reply to my texts an hour ago. I thought he was with you?” Mason sounded more confused than anything.

“He ran off.” Theo ran his free hand through his hair. He pushed Liam too far and now he was gone: probably injured, maybe dead.

“What’d you do?” Mason asked over the phone, unable to conceal his accusatory tone, making Theo feel even guiltier.

“I just wanted to know what was wrong because he looked freaked out to begin with but I should’ve left him alone. Mason, I don’t know where the hell he is.” Theo felt stupidly hopeless and honestly kind of wanted to cry which not only wouldn’t help the situation either, but was also _really_ weird. He hadn’t genuinely wanted to cry for what must have been years.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Mason’s voice softened but Theo could still hear the fear in his voice. “I know Liam and it probably wasn’t you or anything you did. I’m gonna call Corey, we can go look for him. He couldn’t have gotten far, right?” 

Theo pushed the thought of _‘Yes, he could’ve gotten very far,’_ out of his mind and nodded before remembering Mason couldn’t see him. “Okay, I’ll meet you outside,” he replied as he headed in the direction of Mason’s place. Mason may not be a werewolf or supernatural at all, but he still knew Liam better than anyone, admittedly better than Theo himself did, so it was worth getting his help. And plus, Corey’s invisibility was really handy at times.

Corey had just pulled up by the time Theo got to Mason’s, and the two ran up to knock when the door swung open. 

“Let’s go. Where’d you see him last?” Mason asked, brushing past the other boys hurriedly. 

“He—He stormed into the woods, straight from his house. I lost his scent not far from there,” Theo replied, unable to mask his own emotions.

“Why didn’t you follow him then?” Corey asked with a hint of irritation. 

“He told me to back off. I didn’t hurt him. Please trust me, just this once.” 

“We’re only trusting you because Liam trusts you,” Mason said back, speaking for both of them. When Theo looked taken aback by that, Mason looked guilty and continued, “Don’t tell him I said that, since he probably hasn’t said it himself. But he does. He wouldn’t have run away otherwise, he just got upset that you still cared about him when he was trying to pick a fight.”

Theo knew Liam had said it, or at least that he wanted to trust him, but he didn't think much of it at the time. Hearing it coming from Mason felt different, like it was undoubtedly the whole truth. Not that Liam lied much, it was just that Theo had trouble believing anyone could care for him. 

“How do you know?” Theo finally asked, still leading them into the woods where he’d lost Liam’s scent.

“Because he’s my best friend,” Mason muttered, implying he’d probably had at least one similar experience with Liam. “Have you picked anything up yet?” 

Theo shook his head. The rain wasn’t half as bad as it had been when he went outside, but it was still falling pretty hard and it was hard to smell anything. “Wait, yeah, actually.” 

Before either of the other boys could say anything, Theo ran off in the direction of Liam’s scent. Theo wanted to call out for him, but his gut instinct told him not to.

Theo rushed deeper into the woods for what felt like way too long when he finally saw Liam, limping badly.

“Liam!” Theo shouted as he ran towards him, not knowing if the other boy had seen him yet. 

“Theo?” Liam mumbled in response as he turned around. “Theo, what are you…” His voice trailed off as he stumbled.

Theo looked over the beta worriedly, trying to figure out what was wrong with him before noticing the blood around his side.

"That bad?"

"Pretty bad."

Liam opened his mouth to reply but instead collapsed into Theo. “Hey, stay with me.” 

Liam shut his eyes as he leaned his entire body weight into Theo, barely able to stay conscious. Liam could tell him what happened later, but for now he could easily guess it was hunters. Mason and Corey finally caught up, and Liam barely stirred at the sound of Mason’s voice calling out his name.

Corey ran over and put an arm around the other side of Liam, helping Theo hold him up before he passed out, or worse.

“We have to get him to Deaton’s right now,” Mason exclaimed, trying not to let himself panic. “I’ll get the car and bring it as close as I can.” He ran off as fast as he could, and even with Corey’s help, Theo was struggling to support most of Liam’s weight.

“Hey, Liam, I need you to talk to me, okay?” Theo said in the most comforting and calm voice he could muster. 

“I’m tired,” Liam whispered back, leaning his head on Theo’s shoulder.

“I know, Li, but you can’t sleep yet okay? I need you to talk to me so I know you’re still awake.” Theo didn’t want Liam straining himself right now but he didn’t have many options. 

“You called me Li,” Liam mumbled, looking up at Theo with a tiny smile. 

“Sorry, slipped out, I know you hate it.”

“I don’t hate it… I pretend to because it sounds silly but it’s not that bad.” Liam was speaking slowly and quietly, but he was talking and that had to be enough. “Corey, don’t tell Mason I said that.”

“I’m definitely telling Mason,” Corey said with a smile.

“I know you are. You guys suck at keeping secrets, especially from each other. And me.” 

The fact that Liam was still joking around and smiling, even if it was weakly, helped settle Theo’s nerves, but the beta clearly wasn’t healing properly and something was off. As if on cue, Liam started to doze off, making Theo’s anxiety spike again.

“Liam, keep talking,” Theo whispered, struggling to carry him back to the edge of the woods.

“About what?” Liam murmured, burying his face into Theo’s shoulder. He was making it really hard for Corey to help carry him, so Theo motioned at Corey to let go.

“Anything,” Theo breathed, adjusting himself to carry more of Liam's weight.

“I’m fine, I can walk,” Liam tried to let go of Theo to prove he could, and instead fell right back into him.

“You can't. The car’s not far.” Theo could tell Liam wasn’t mad that he was almost entirely being carried, but rather just felt guilty. 

Liam let out a small sound, similar to a whimper, and leaned into Theo more.

“You smell like rain.” Liam mumbled quietly.

“Yeah? Probably because of the rain.” Theo smiled.

“Sorry,” Liam said as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

“For?”

“Making you come out here and carry me.” The last part was muffled and barely comprehensible, because Liam had shyly pushed his face harder against Theo. 

“Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry for scaring you off in the first place.”

“You didn’t do anything.” Liam groaned right after the words left his mouth.

“Where’s it hurt?” Theo picked up his pace, seeing Mason’s car through the trees.

“Everywhere,” Liam whimpered back, sounding exhausted.

Theo was more than relieved to get the beta into the back of the car, even if he had to lift him in.

“You want help back there?” Corey asked, and once Theo shook his head in response he got into the front seat instead.

Theo got in next to Liam and let him rest his head on his chest. 

“How’s he doing?” Mason asked, looking in the mirror as he began to drive.

“I think he’s healing. Slowly, though.” Theo absent-mindedly ran his hand through Liam’s hair gently.

Liam started to cough excessively not even a moment later, ending up with a combination of blood and black substance on his mouth and chin—the latter much more concerning for Theo. He groaned and adjusted himself to rest his head in Theo’s lap.

“Can you take his pain?” Mason questioned anxiously.

“I’ve never done it,” Theo replied, turning his attention back to Liam. “I’m not even sure if I can.” 

Liam stirred again and opened his eyes. “You don’t have to.”

Theo took his hand and Liam was too weak to even try to struggle, so he just let him.

Much to Theo’s surprise, it actually worked after a moment, and it hurt a lot more than he expected it to. After only a few seconds, he had to stop for his own sake. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“You did it.” Liam gave him a smile, small and weak, but still there. 

“You’re gonna be okay.” Theo went back to pushing Liam’s hair out of his face carefully.

“You’re warm. Can I sleep now?” Liam’s voice came out raspy, but stronger than earlier.

“Not yet, okay? Deaton’s gotta check to make sure you’ll be okay. Better safe than sorry.” 

Liam just made a small noise that might have been agreeance, and focused on the feeling of Theo’s hand running through his hair to try and not pass out.

~

It didn’t take more than a few minutes to get to the animal clinic, but keeping Liam conscious was still a challenge. Theo had to carry him into the clinic and he barely even opened his eyes when he was lifted up.

They were lucky enough that Deaton hadn’t closed up yet. Theo put Liam down on the table as carefully as he could, and Deaton immediately went to work. 

“Give him something to hold onto.” Deaton directed at the three boys, and Theo offered his hand which Liam took right away.

After a few minutes, and a couple tests with a scalpel, Deaton finally said, “He’ll be okay. He just has to take it easy in terms of the supernatural for a couple days.” He went off to prepare something else, and Mason followed to ask questions about what the problem was and what he had done to help, but Theo wasn’t paying attention.

“What happened, Liam?” Theo asked, still holding his hand, which he would've said was for moral support had anyone pointed it out.

“A hunter,” Liam breathed. “I was distracted and didn’t hear them coming, and they knocked me out. Stabbed me with something, probably wolfsbane. After that everything’s kind of a blur, but I guess I got away. They must’ve been a shitty hunter. Or just new.”

Theo nodded as he moved Liam’s hair out of his face again—apparently a new habit that was forming.

“I like when you do that,” Liam said with a small blush. “You’re better at being comforting than you give yourself credit for.” 

Theo smiled back, and the boy’s blush deepened. Theo guessed Liam was finally conscious enough to realize how affectionate he was being.

Deaton walked back over with a needle, and Liam shut his eyes hard instantly and tightened his grip on Theo’s hand. 

“It’ll help get rid of the rest of your pain.” Deaton said apologetically. “You’re still going to be feeling slightly weak for a few days though.”

Once Deaton had finished with the needle, he said Liam was safe to go home, so Mason drove them all back. Theo and Liam sat in the back again, not nearly as close as the ride to the clinic but still much closer than usual.

~

“I can stay here,” Mason offered at Liam’s house, still worried about the state of his best friend. 

“Go home, Mase. You’re still human,” Liam joked from the other room, his voice still weak enough for it to be noticeable, but not significantly so.

“I’ll make sure he’s okay. If anything changes I’ll tell you,” Theo gave Mason a reassuring smile, hoping he wouldn’t decide to stay the night. Sure, Theo liked Mason and Corey more than he liked anyone other than Liam, but he’d rather just be alone with the only person he really trusted.

“Okay. And Theo… Please don’t hurt him. He’s been through a lot.” Mason’s voice was a hushed whisper, and he was probably hoping Liam wasn’t paying attention to their conversation anymore.

Theo was about to get upset that Mason still thought he wanted to hurt Liam after everything, but then he realized that that Mason hadn’t meant physical harm, so instead he just nodded. 

He went back to the bedroom and smiled at the sight of Liam, half-asleep. 

“Come sleep,” he muttered from the bed. “You carried me like 50 miles.” 

Theo’s smile widened and he sat on the opposite side of the bed. “Pretty sure it was only 1 or 2. I should stay up and make sure you’re okay.”

“Same thing.” Liam rolled over and grabbed Theo’s arm, pulling him to lie down. 

“Okay, okay.” Theo laughed lightly and Liam grinned, and the two of them stayed like that, looking at each other happily, for a while.

“I’m still sorry I freaked out at you,” Liam whispered, as if too much sound would disturb the calmness in the air.

“Don’t worry about it.” Theo meant it too. Forgiveness wasn’t something he was keen on, but Liam’s outburst was out of his mind moments after it happened. Liam hadn’t hurt him, and he had issues that weren’t so different from his own anyway.

“Thanks for coming for me.” Liam gave Theo a small smile.

“I’d never leave you, not again.” Theo had thrown all his subtlety out the door when he saw Liam injured in the woods, there was no point in going back now. But Liam just smiled again.

“Me too.” Liam reached over to find the wire turn off the lamp so they could both get some rest after such a messy day.

“Wake me if you need anything?” Theo worded it like a question, but it wasn’t really up for debate.

“Okay,” Liam replied, switching off the light. “Goodnight.” 

“Night, Liam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first part is loosely based on the promo for the next ep ahh  
> & theo definitely goes soft when he thinks liam's in danger  
> thank you all for your comments! sometimes i have trouble replying to each one but i appreciate them all so much, the support makes me want to keep writing c:


	7. Chapter 7

Liam woke up to a very gentle shake from Theo. 

"Hey, morning. Sorry for waking you up, I wanted to make sure you're holding up okay. And you should eat something." Theo gave him a small smile, and Liam couldn't help but admire how soft he looked like that—smiling genuinely, which was rare and nice enough, but also illuminated by the early morning sunlight.

"When did you become the world's best caretaker?" Liam said as he smiled back drowsily.

"When I started caring," Theo replied, his smile returning to his usual playful smirk when Liam raised his eyebrow at him. He quickly changed the topic. "Do you remember who the hunters were? Or what they looked like?"

"You wanna beat them up too?"

"Maybe," Theo shrugged, and Liam smiled again.

"I can't remember them." Liam admitted, his smile fading into a frown as he tried to concentrate. "I can't really remember much really."

"Don't strain yourself, we'll figure it out eventually." Theo tossed the other boy a sweater—thankfully, seeing as his shirt still had some blood on it—and walked out as Liam tried to keep his heart from fluttering or racing.

~

"You know how to make pancakes?" Liam questioned as he walked down the stairs, nodding towards the plate Theo was preparing.

"Nope. Asked your mom for help. I managed to not burn them though." Theo answered with a grin, and Liam immediately laughed at the thought of Theo asking his mother how to make anything.

"They're amazing," Liam said. "Seriously dude, you’re the best."

Liam went back to eating his breakfast like he hadn't said anything and Theo stared at him, in some type of stupidity and awe.

"What?" The beta asked after a minute of silence, when he’d only just noticed Theo staring.

"Nothing. I’m just glad you’re feeling better. I mean, clearly, since you’re on your sixth pancake," Theo said, almost affectionately, smiling when Liam's face scrunched up with playful distaste.

"Mason's gonna want to see me," Liam said, glancing at his phone. "Wanna come?"

"I need a nap," Theo shrugged, not wanting to admit that he spent almost the entire night awake making sure Liam was alright. "Have fun though." 

Liam smiled again, and went to clean up his plate. "Thanks, again. Really." Theo responded with a friendly nod, and Liam left for Mason's.

~

Corey had slept over at Mason's house, and the two were happy to see Liam so soon. Mason actually hugged him on sight, and Corey took that opportunity to make a group hug with Liam sandwiched in the middle. And then they went back to pestering him as soon as they realized he was doing alright.

"Are you gonna make a move _now?_ " Mason asked, lightly nudging his best friend in the ribs as they sat on the floor of his room, playing video games while Corey sat off to the side eating candy that he somehow always had a stash of.

Liam rolled his eyes. "I was, like, dying. I'm pretty sure anything that happened was just out of concern." 

"He was a lot more than concerned." Corey replied with a knowing smile.

"You barely remember anything, man. When Theo was taking care of you, I couldn't even tell it was the same person I watched kill Scott." Mason added.

Liam winced a bit. "That's because he's not the same."

"I know, Li. I wouldn't trust him near you if he was." Mason gave Liam a comforting smile.

"Plus he's totally in love with you. At least that means he won't try and kill you." Corey pointed out, getting himself a halfhearted glare from Liam. "Oh come on, he was literally stroking your hair and holding your hand."

Liam made an exasperated expression at Mason for support, who just responded with his own a sympathetic face and nodded in agreeance with what Corey had said.

"You're both a pain in the ass," Liam joked.

"We're not the ones who fell in love with Theo Raeken." Corey said back, throwing a gummy bear at Liam's face when he glared at him again, who only managed to hold a straight face for a second before laughing.

"Go home and ask him out on a real date or something, man. I'm 99% sure he'll say yes." Mason encouraged. "Invite him to Sinema tonight! Hayden's getting us in, you can both come."

"A solid 1% chance of rejection? I'll pass." Liam got up anyway. "I'll ask if he wants to go though. Be responsible while I'm gone." 

Liam winked, and Mason gave him an exaggerated appalled look.

"You wouldn't have to be the third wheel if you had a boyfriend. We could go on double dates instead," Corey called as Liam walked away, who flipped him off with a smile and shut the door on his way out.

~

To Liam's surprise, Theo actually agreed to go with him to Sinema, despite it being a gay club—because, as it turned out, mixed clubs weren't a thing and Mason had been messing with him, which he figured out talking to Brett on his third visit.

As for asking him out, Liam had failed miserably. He invited Theo to the club, and when the other boy gave him a questioning look, he immediately said, "You know, with Mason and Corey, as a group!" Which honestly made him look even more confused, but he agreed regardless.

"You ever been here?" Mason directed at Theo. "Like, for fun, not..." His voice faded out as he remembered the fight for Hayden's life.

"A few times," Theo smiled reassuringly, and Liam didn't know whether to be surprised that he'd gone before or grateful that he got along with his best friend.

The four of them stuck near each other for a while, but eventually Mason and Corey disappeared into the crowd on the dancefloor.

Liam shifted on his feet awkwardly, feeling out of place.

"You don't like crowds much, do you?" Theo said, glad Liam was paying enough attention to hear him over the music despite him keeping his volume regular.

Liam shook his head before going back to looking around anxiously.

"You know how to dance?" Theo asked with a smirk, and Liam knew immediately that no matter what he said he was going to be dragged out onto the floor.

"Not at all." He smiled and held out his arm, which Theo happily took by the wrist with a gentle grip as he pulled him through the sea of people.

Theo, as unpredictable as always, was actually a good dancer. Liam on the other hand was clumsy and mostly following whatever Theo did. 

At one point, Theo moved his hands from Liam's wrists down to his waist, and Liam felt his own shudder and knew Theo did too. If it hadn't been too dark to see, he would've seen his blush too.

The two danced like that for what felt like a while, though there was really no way to keep track of time, and Liam forgot about his own anxiety.

"You're not half bad," Theo leant down to whisper, and Liam's blush deepened. He finally stopped dancing and let go of the smaller boy's waist. 

For a second, Theo's eyes fluttered to Liam's lips, as if he was considering leaning in. Liam almost thought he was going to, but then Theo looked away like nothing had happened.

"I'm going to get a drink." Theo walked off, not making eye contact again.

Liam went to sit down at a random table and tried to convince himself he was just imagining things.

"Earth to Dunbar." Brett's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You're in a club, not an art museum, try not to look so bored."

Liam rolled his eyes and moved over, letting Brett sit down with his drink, which smelled strongly of alcohol despite them both knowing it wouldn't have any effect on werewolves.

"Who's your cute boyfriend?" Brett asked with a knowing smile.

"Theo. You already met him, remember?" Brett nodded and Liam put his chin on his hands with a sigh. "And he's not my boyfriend."

"Why not?" Brett stared at the boy next to him like he’d just said something incredibly stupid.

"What kind of question is that? He's just not."

"Well you're both clearly into each other."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I'm pretty sure Theo's just like that."

"He stares at everyone like they're the only person in the universe?"

Liam gave Brett's arm a hard nudge and went back to sulking.

"I'll take him out if you don't want him," Brett joked, getting a glare in response. "Kidding."

Brett put his hand on Liam's shoulder as he got up and left him to his own space.

Theo had completely disappeared until Mason and Corey rejoined Liam at the table, who raised his eyebrow towards him, but Theo didn't give an excuse or say anything really.

They didn't stay long after that, Mason and Corey just flirted lightly at the table while Theo and Liam completely ignored each other. Liam wasn't even sure why, but if Theo wasn't looking at him he didn't want to look back.

Theo didn't say anything on the way back either, and the only time he even acknowledged Liam at home was when he was asked a question.

Liam tried not to overthink things, but it was hard not to when they'd gotten so close at Sinema only for Theo to pull away and close himself off. 

He gave Theo space anyway, and they went to bed without a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for making you guys wait so long! school just started so i'm a bit overwhelmed, but i promise the next chapter will be super soft and make up for it and i'll try to post it asap (within the next few days maybe if we're lucky!!) also if you commented something nice, thank you so much! and if i never replied, i'm sorry too, because once again, school. but i promise i really did appreciate it i just can't find much free time bc it's the first few weeks and it's hectic. ilu all! also the next chapters much longer so this one's shorter, once again i promise it'll make up for it :3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:^)

A few days of days before Sinema or Liam thinking his relationship with Theo was getting better, but recently they'd reached a standstill. Or more accurately, things were going downhill.

They had been more open and affectionate. Neither addressed it, but their personal space in mundane situations was down to zero for a while. Now, Theo was barely even talking to Liam, which would've been fine if he hadn't grown so accustomed to hearing his voice. Sure, they weren't always having conversations, but they made small comments to each other all the time—while Liam was doing homework, while they played video games, while they fought over possession of more of the bed sheets, the list went on. It had only been about a day since they got back from the club, but it was almost unbearable even within that short time.

And when Liam asked him if he wanted to come to his lacrosse game, he said no for the first time since he'd started coming at all.

Liam had come to realize Theo had issues with mood swings, not that far off from his own, and that he'd probably swing back up eventually, but it was still frustrating to be given the silent treatment for no reason after everything.

Liam got home earlier than usual, mostly because he wanted to try and talk to Theo as soon as possible so he cut his usual post-game conversations with Mason, Corey, and Hayden short and didn't even bother getting changed.

"We won," he announced, tossing his lacrosse bag to the side of his room for later.

When Theo didn't react, he kept talking. "It was 2-0. I got a yellow card. Some kid hit me so I punched him, but he had it coming." He paused to see if Theo would ever reply. "Can’t you say anything?"

"Don't you have someone else to annoy?" Theo responded casually, still not looking up from his phone.

Liam huffed. "Why are you being such a prick?"

"Because you won't shut up," Theo shot back, still not even glancing at the other boy.

"I can give you space if y—"

"I don't want space. I want you to stop talking." Theo interrupted before Liam could finish.

Liam was silent for a moment, as if he was considering giving it a rest, but then he sighed again. "I'm just trying to help. Did I do something wrong?"

"What do you care?" Theo tried not to let Liam's warmth break the coldness in his voice, even though it was pointless.

"I do care, Theo." Liam said, so softly that Theo thought his own heart might beat out of his chest. The chimera finally looked up and met Liam's gaze, which was unsurprisingly just as gentle as his voice. 

Theo tried to remember what he was upset about, but his only real reason had been the fact that he was completely, hopelessly in love with Liam and everything the boy said and did just made it worse. Thinking of that was enough to remind him though, and he was upset once again.

"You don't. You've got me trapped in here like a fucking dog. You still think I'll go out there and murder some innocent child living in this shitty town and you won't even admit it." Theo was tired and he mostly just wanted Liam to yell at him, to really get upset and even kick him out. He wanted a reason to be mad at him so he didn't have to face anything else he felt, because feeling like that for anyone was a weakness. Or, that’s what he was raised to think anyway.

"Of course I fucking care! You still think I don't trust you? I'm sorry that living here is such a fucking misery for you but I thought it'd be better than you being homeless." Liam took a breath and calmed himself, quieting his voice. "You know if you leave I won't stop you, even if Scott told me to. Because I trust you and I don't care who doesn't. But maybe I don't want you to leave. Because you're my friend and I like having you here with me. And I thought you didn't mind being here, and I thought things were going well.”

Theo, thanks to all his practice through years of abuse, managed to keep his face in a scowl despite everything Liam had said, but he didn't dare open his mouth and retort because he knew it wouldn't come out like he'd wanted.

"I care more than you think." Liam continued when Theo didn't say anything. "And that might be my fault because I'm stupid and I don't know how to show it properly, but I care a lot."

"You're not stupid," Theo finally said, right before Liam turned to give Theo the space he thought he wanted.

"You call me a dumbass all the time," Liam replied, but he wasn't upset about it. He sounded more confused, mostly by Theo’s occasional drastic mood swings.

“Sure, but you aren’t stupid.” Theo still looked kind of irritated, but it felt less directed at Liam now.

After a moment, Liam's face fell into a frown. "Do you really want to leave? Because I meant everything I said, including the part about not stopping you."

Theo made an expression like he was considering it, clearly exaggerated, and then said, "No, I think I'll stay. Your bed's comfy and your cereal's good. I'm hungry."

Theo walked past Liam, who was staring at him with mock offense, and ruffled his hair on the way out.

"I change my mind, get out," Liam joked, following him out of the room.

"Too late, you already admitted you care about me," Theo shot Liam a smirk from the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the kitchen. Liam stood, looking dumbfounded, before running down the stairs and crossed his arms as Theo poured himself some cereal.

"I take that back too, I hate you actually." Liam said matter-of-factly.

"You're an awful liar," Theo smiled.

“How come it comes so easy to you then?"

"You want me to tell you how I lie?" Theo raised his eyebrow at Liam, who was leaning on his elbows on the counter and looking up at Theo expectantly. "I'm pretty sure I'd have better luck teaching a dog how to."

"Okay, I’ll admit that was a dumb suggestion. But we should still do something fun."

"Me eating your cereal is fun." Liam rolled his eyes and hopped up on the kitchen counter, which Theo found stupidly cute.

"What'd you do before you met us?"

"Well I didn't have this good cereal, so my life kind of sucked."

"I'm serious!" Liam gave Theo a pointed look.

"So am I. You know what I was doing before I met you, I was being pushed around by the doctors and being evil. Which may have been fun at times." 

Anyone else might have found his last comment sort of disturbing, but Liam just smiled when he said it. Partially because Theo was sitting in an oversized sweatshirt eating cereal on a stool in Liam's kitchen, and the contradictory image in front of him against what he said was hard not to laugh at.

"You really didn't do anything for yourself?" Liam sounded genuinely sad about it, so Theo tried to take the topic a bit more seriously.

"I went up to the hospital roof whenever I could. The hospital here being the most recent, but the nice thing about hospitals is that they were everywhere we went. I liked watching the lights at night." Theo tried to push aside the thoughts that he sounded stupid, and the genuine interest on Liam's face was comforting. "It was kind of a way to escape."

"Why don't you still go?" Liam asked quietly.

"Nothing to escape from here."

"You still get nightmares though."

Theo sighed, like saying the next words pained him, "Yeah, but I don't have to leave here to escape anymore. You're always here when I wake up from nightmares." 

"And you call yourself evil." Liam got up and walked over behind the counter to sift through a drawer. "We can go tonight if you want. Or you can go alone. I don't mind."

"If I go, you're coming."

Liam grinned. "Tonight it is then."

"You do know the hospital roof's not really open to the public—"

Theo was cut off by Liam jangling keys in front of his face. "Spare keys. Dad's a doctor."

"Looks like someone's going through his rebellious phase," Theo said with a smirk.

"Maybe I'm just hanging around bad influences."

"I have no idea who you might be talking about," Theo replied innocently.

"Cute." Liam snarked. "I'm gonna take a shower before we leave."

"Thank god."

Liam shot him a look and tossed him the keys before going upstairs.

~ 

"I hate this hospital," Theo mumbled as they waited for the maintenance elevator up to the roof.

"We don't have to be here," Liam said, sensing the anxiety coming off the chimera. He knew Theo had issues here from their first time at the hospital together, but he wasn't quite sure how deep they ran.

"Nowhere else has the view," Theo replied, and he had a point. "I hate elevators too." Confined spaces made him uneasy—because being buried alive while completely conscious at age 9 will do that to someone.

Liam figured he might as well initiate something now if he was ever going to, so he held out his hand. Theo looked at it like he was considering it, and Liam resisted the urge to pull away nervously. But Theo smiled and finally took it.

Deep down Theo knew that Liam felt something more for him than what he felt for his friends, but he refused to get his hopes up that they could be anything other than whatever they were. Not friends, not _boyfriends_ , though neither would really be against it, just something else. Between Liam’s, pack which still wasn’t exactly approving of their closeness, and Theo’s history, anything more just seemed too far out of reach.

Liam, on the other hand, despite his usual level of obliviousness, was actually catching the small cues laid in front of him for once. Or he was just paying attention for the first time.

Both of them stopped once they stepped out of the elevator, looking around the familiar setting.

"Bad memories," Liam mumbled.

"Me too."

"I fought berserkers up here. You?" 

"Josh." Theo didn't look like he wanted to elaborate, so Liam just nodded, filling in the pieces himself.

"At least the view's worth it," Liam said, sort of pulling Theo over to the ledge of the roof. He let go of his hand and sat down. "Not all of the memories up here are bad. This is where Scott bit me too."

Theo sat down next to Liam, looking over at him. "This memory's good."

"Not a memory yet." Liam replied, looking back, smiling. "Plus I could always ruin it and do something stupid."

"Oh really? And what if I'm already planning on ruining it?"

"Wouldn’t be too hard for you since I’m sitting on a ledge, waiting to be pushed off."

"Tempting." Theo teased back as he sat down and swung his legs over the edge of the roof in a swift, habitual motion that gave away how many times he’d come up there before.

Liam rolled his eyes and smiled again. He never really felt like being vulnerable around Theo was a risk anymore. "It's nice up here."

Theo looked back at the lights below them. "This was the only place I could get away from it all. I'd come up here and think about my sister, or my parents, or what life would be like if I had grown up as a normal kid without the doctors' influence."

"What were your parents like?" Liam asked, still watching Theo as he stared off at Beacon Hills.

"I don't know," Theo admitted softly, with a small smile that was more longing than genuine. "I barely remember anything from before I met the doctors, and even a lot of that is blurry. Just bits and pieces of memories of my sister. I think they were okay people. Not perfect, but better than whatever came after. I don't know what happened to them, honestly. My guess is that the dread doctors killed them."

"I'm sorry it happened to you." Liam said gently, and Theo just shrugged.

"If not me then it would've been some other kid. At least I met you." Theo bumped the boy next to him with his shoulder and smiled. 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, taking in the view.

“I never took you for a people watcher,” Liam said, breaking the silence finally.

“You never took me for a lot of things,” Theo replied, and he had a point. “Did you ever think we’d be here right now? When you pulled me out of hell, I mean, did you think you’d just put me back when you were done with me?” The last part sounded a little bit bitter, but no one could blame him.

 

“Honestly? No, I never thought that. I kind of hated you—no offense—but I hated what happened to you more. I know I said you deserved it, but I didn’t mean that. I wanted an excuse to get you out of there, against the entire pack’s better judgement. Even Hayden wasn’t sure about it.”

Theo stared at Liam fondly. “Is that why you didn’t fight back when I attacked you?”

“Mostly, yeah. I got that you were disoriented and afraid so I didn’t want to make it worse. Also you pushed me into the wall.”

“So? Your arm was free.”

“It was just...” Liam paused again, flustered, and waved his hands around like he wanted Theo to take a hint and finish the thought for him.

Theo let out an actual laugh as Liam turned bright red. “You were flustered because I shoved you into the wall and threatened you?”

“Shut up, it had been a while since I’d seen you.” Liam replied with an embarrassed smile and Theo grinned wider, clearly enjoying himself.

“So, because it had been a while since you’d last seen me, you were fl—”

“Yes! I was flustered because you’re cute and you pushed me up against the wall and I wasn’t even sure if I was still straight and it made things more confusing! Now please shut up!”

Theo’s smile stayed just as wide as he stared at Liam but his eyes showed nothing but affection, and Liam’s blush deepened again and he pressed his lips together, realizing what he’d just said. 

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Theo comforted gently.

“I just came out to you by accident, of course I have to be embarrassed.” Liam shoved his face into his own hands, muffling his voice. “I haven’t even told anyone except Mason and Corey.”

“Liam,” Theo said, gently taking Liam’s wrists and moving his hands off his face. “I’m gay too. It’s okay.”

“Oh.” Liam stared at Theo as he let go of his wrists. “I mean, I figured because you’d gone to Sinema but I thought I was just…” He didn’t want to say he was being hopeful, but that was the truth, so instead he cut himself off and left the sentence unfinished.

“I never said anything because it never came up. The same way I’ve never told you my favourite colour. Didn’t think it mattered.” Liam opened his mouth like he was going to ask anyway and Theo let out a small laugh. “It’s red.”

Liam practically beamed, like he’d wanted to know Theo’s favourite colour since the minute they met, and they went back to looking at the view.

"Can I ask you a dumb question?" Liam asked after only a moment, and Theo looked over again, urging him to continue, only to see Liam staring at his own hands.

"What if I wanted this to be a date?"

Theo actually seemed surprised. “It’d be my first date ever.”

"And, hypothetically, how would I be doing if it were one?"

Theo contemplated his answer for a moment. “Nine out of ten.” 

He met eyes with Liam again, and the latter leaned a bit closer.

"You're cute when you blush," Theo whispered.

"I'm not cute!" Liam replied, his face getting redder.

"Shut up, Liam." Theo was the one to close the gap between the two, pushing their lips together gently. 

Liam put his hands on the sides of Theo's face and deepened the kiss, and didn't stop kissing him until Theo started smiling too wide, which Liam admittedly found ridiculously cute.

"How am I doing now?" Liam asked with what he would've called confidence, and what anyone else would've said was cockiness.

"Eleven out of ten." Theo exhaled with a small laugh. "I wanted to do that since the first time we were at this hospital together."

Liam put his head on Theo's shoulder and went back to looking at the lights. "I probably should have kissed you sooner then."

"Actually, I kissed you."

Liam looked up with a playfully annoyed expression and gave him another light kiss. 

"There. I should have done that sooner." Liam let his head rest again and Theo wrapped his arm around his shoulder.

“I kind of figured the first time I’d kiss you would be,” Liam hesitated. “Less romantic?”

Theo laughed at that, eliciting a smile from the other boy. “How?”

“I figured you’d piss me off enough that I’d just kiss you to get you to shut up.”

“I prefer this.”

“Me too, I guess I just didn’t think you’d want it this way. Really soft and stuff.” Liam played with his hands shyly as he said the last words.

“Liam.” Theo let go of him slowly so he could turn to face him properly. He lifted his hand to Liam’s chin and tilted his face up and kissed him deeply, but still as gently as he could. He pulled away first, and then gave Liam a small smirk. “I’m good with soft.”

Liam’s cheeks flushed again, something Theo made happen way too often. “Cool, me too then.”

“What about the pack?” Theo sort of blurted it out, not entirely meaning to ask but not able to contain the question, despite his usual subtlety.

“They’ll come around.” Liam whispered, as if he was trying to convince himself just as much as he was Theo, who raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. “Mason and Corey did. And Scott will.”

“And everyone else?”

“They won’t care if Scott doesn’t. I don’t care if they care either.” Liam leaned against Theo again with a sigh. “I care about you and no one’s been fair to you.”

“You have.” Theo whispered back against Liam’s hair.

“No, I haven’t. I said awful shit.”

“So did I. And I think you’ve made it up to me.”

Liam let out a small noise like he wanted to argue but was too exhausted.

“Maybe we should go home?” Theo offered, seeing how sleepy Liam looked lying against his shoulder.

“No, don’t move, you’re warm.” Liam wrapped his arms around Theo and shoved his face against his chest.

“We can be warm at home, on your bed instead of concrete.” Theo laughed a bit, playfully trying to pull Liam off him.

Instead, Liam flopped back into his lap, facing up at him. “I’m not on concrete.” He flashed a cocky smile, his face being illuminated by only the moon.

Theo smiled and just pushed Liam’s messy hair out of his face so he could see him better. “You’re cute.”

Liam scrunched his face up like he was irritated, but they both knew it wasn’t genuine. “Gross. Stop calling me cute.”

“Then stop being cute. Let’s go home.”

Liam huffed and sat up and let Theo hook his arms under his shoulders and pull him up from the ground. The second he was on his feet he spun around and pulled Theo’s face down into his own with one hand into a kiss, his other hand on Theo’s wrist, holding the other boy’s hand against his own waist.

“I thought you were tired,” Theo whispered, pulling back to breathe.

“Never too tired for that.” Liam said with a bright smile before sliding his hand down into Theo’s, interlocking their fingers.

“You’re such a romantic,” Theo joked back, letting Liam pull him lightly towards the elevator by the hand just like he had on the way out to the roof. Liam smiled back at him, and Theo couldn’t help but realize that this was the first time he felt truly happy in as long as he could remember.


End file.
